Fruit-harvester.



G. HENSLBY.

FRUIT HARVESTER. APPLICATION FILED APB. 29, 190e.

906,626. Patented Dec. 15,1908.

INVENTUR @forg Hen; ej.

'WJ3S l ATTORNEY .7 wirNessln/p UNITED STATESAPATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE IIENSLEY, OF MOUNT PLEASANT TOWNSHIP, DELAWARE COUNTY, INDIANA.

FRUIT-HARVE STER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE HENSLEY, a citizen oi the United States, residing at Mount Pleasant township, Delaware county, Indiana, have invented a new and useful Fruit-Harvester, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to improvements in fruit harvesters and has for its object te provide a device of the kind referred to which will be reliable, easy of manipulation and of simple construction.

My invention consists of the construction, combination and arrangement of parts described and claimed herein, and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 and Fig. 2 are side views, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my invention, in each of the said views the main portions of the handles being broken away. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 Fig. l the integument E being not shown. Fig. 5 is a detached sectional view showing in detail, the rivet G.

Similar characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

A and B designate complemental members made of metal and hingedly secured together by the pin C. Each of these complemental members is terminated at its upper portion in such shape as to provide an open frame. The ring shaped form of frames shown, and which I have designated as A1 and B1, are preferable. Below each of these frames A1 and B1 the o'set portion A2 and B2 are lormed. The lower end ol each ol the complemental members is of suitable ferm to have secured thereto, the handles D. These handles D may be of any desired length and are shown in the drawings as having the freeend portion broken away.

A desirable form for the lower ends of the complemental members is to make the same of enlarged diameter as shown, each is provided with a tapered aperture inte which the handles are tightly secured by being driven therein in the usual way.

Secured to the frame A1 preferably by stitching is the integument E made el suitable Aflexible fabric such as canvas.

F designates a bag of ample proportions that has the edges of its open end secured continuously about the frame B1. The

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 29, 1908.

Patented Dec. 15, 1908.

Serial No. 429,797.

under-portion of the bagl is secured by the rivet G to the offset-portion B2 whereby that portion of the bag that will be immediately adjacent te the secured upper portion, will not swing out of alinement with the complemental member to which it is secured.

It will be understood that seme change in the general form and proportion of the parts may be made within the scope of the claim without departing from the spirit or sacriiieing any el the advantages of the invention.

My improved fruit-harvester is of especial utility in the harvesting of apples, pears, and the like fruits that grow on trees where frequently the fruit will hang in close proximity above limbs and branches which are greatly in the way and which hinder the successful operation of fruit harvesting devices hitherto devised.

The inode of the use and practice of my improved harvester will be obvious upon inspection of Fig. 3 of the drawings. The handles D are made of suitable length so that the device may be projected by the manipulator to a height suHicient to reach into any portion of the tree. The device is so projected and disposed with the frames A1 and B1 apart that the fruit is engaged by the frame B1; the handles are then pressed toward each other which causes the integument of the frame A1 to bear against the fruit. By reason of the flexibility of this intcgument the lruit will not be marred or mutilated in the least. By further movement of the handles the frames A1 and B1 are brought together and the stem of the lruit will be broken and the latter will fall into the bag.

I/Vhere it is desired to gather in fruit, that may be pendent immediately above a limb or branch as shown in Fig. 3, the oliset portions A2 and B2 ot' the complemental members make possible the gathering of the fruit in the manner as just described.

`What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is In a fruit gathering implement, the combination of a pair of pivotally connected complemental members terminated in rings adapted to register with each other, the said compleinental members being lorined with ollsets in each so that there will be an opening between said members immediately underneath said rings when they are brought together, of an integument secured across name to this specifica-tion in the presence o one1 of salud rings anld havingla plane slrfaoe, two subscribing Witnesses. a exib e rece )tao e carrier b the evoe T 1 and having itsl mouth secured 3ontinuously GEORGE HER SLETL about the opposite ring, all arranged and Witnesses: composed, substantially as described'. ETHEL L. LIsTER,

In testimony whereof I have signed my THOMAS L. RYAN. 

